Media Advisory - Canada's Parks Day

Saturday, July 20
www.parksday.ca

OTTAWA, July 15, 2013 /CNW/ - Parks across Canada — Canada's Parks Day will take place nationwide on Saturday, July 20.  This annual celebration showcases the spectacular personal, social and societal benefits enjoyed by millions who personally experience Canada's incredible network of parks and historic places.

This event, now in its 24th year, aims to connect Canadians to nature by drawing attention to the powerful role nature plays in our daily lives and our overall social well-being.

Did you know…

• Contact with nature has been found to lower blood pressure, strengthen the immune system, help mitigate disease, and reduce stress levels.
• Canada's federal, provincial, and territorial parks contribute $4.9 billion to our Gross Domestic Product, $2.9 billion in labour income and $337 million in revenue.
• Nature plays a pivotal role in nurturing relationships by bringing people together and it improves our mood and sense of belonging.
• Nature purifies the air we breathe and the water we drink, provides protection from floods, regulates climate, and stores carbon to help offset climate change.
• Nature offers spiritual comfort that is good for the soul and draws us outward, reminding us that we are part of something bigger than ourselves.

Our parks are among the oldest in the world and have existed for more than a century.  What better time than Canada's Parks Day to share and celebrate the benefits that parks provide for families to bond, children to play, and communities to meet. Here in Canada one million km² of our natural landscape are protected through a system of parks and thousands of family-friendly parks are open for Canadians to explore and recharge.

The day prior to Canada's Parks Day - On Friday, July 19, the world-famous CN Tower will be lit in the colours green, blue and yellow in celebration of Canada's Parks Day. Blue and green represent the biosphere that sustains life on earth, and yellow, the sunshine that provides the energy that living systems depend on. Just as the CN Tower is a symbol of national pride, Canada's national, provincial and territorial parks, and the majestic landscapes they showcase, are an impressive symbol of our national identity.

On July 20 Canadians of all ages are invited to experience the nature and history of Canada by participating in Parks Day festivities.  From nature walks to canoe tours, art displays, kite-making workshops, lumberjack demonstrations and other imaginative events will focus on the importance of connecting to nature. The choice will be as vast as the diversity protected within our Canadian parks and historic sites.

For information, including contact details for Canada's federal, provincial and territorial Parks Day Coordinators visit www.parksday.ca.

SOURCE: Parks Canada

For further information:

on Parks Day, please contact:

Dawn Carr, Executive Director
Canadian Parks Council
[phone] / [phone]
[e-mail]
www.parks-parcs.ca
www.parksday.ca